There are few places on earth as eerie and otherworldly as the giant flaming crater known as The Gates of Hell (also known as the Darvaza Gas Crater or the Door to Hell) in the country of Turkmenistan (one of the Central Asian countries). The Gates of Hell is an accidental tourist attraction and a collapsed natural gas field that has been burning for about 50 years. Turkmenistan is a country shrouded in mystery, and the crater is located in the remote Darvaza area, so not much is known definitively about the origin of the burning canyon.

One theory is that a Soviet natural gas extraction company caused the collapse of the natural gas field in 1971 and, in an effort to burn off excess gases that began to escape, lit a controlled fire that is still burning today. Whatever or whoever caused the canyon may be unclear, but the result is striking. Turkmenistan's Gates of Hell burns continuously year-round and is nearly 100 feet deep with a diameter of 226 feet. This is definitely a bucket-list destination for so many reasons. Check out these stranger-than-fiction facts about this lonely desert inferno.

UPDATE: 2023/05/28 14:52 EST BY AARON SPRAY

More To Know About The Gates Of Hell

The Gates of Hell is one of the most bizarre attractions in the world. It is one of the most isolated attractions in the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan - which is a country exceptionally difficult to visit. This list was updated and expanded with more of the things to know about the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan.

14 Previous Attempts Have Been Made To Extinguish The Crater

Over the fifty years that the crater has been burning, multiple attempts have been made to extinguish it, but none have been successful. Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov previously ordered the Gates of Hell extinguished in 2010. In early 2022, Berdymukhamedov again called for the flames to be put out, but it was not immediately clear how that could be accomplished. There are two big problems that any attempt to seal the crater must address: first, the raging flames, and second, the nearly endless stream of toxic gas that’s constantly escaping.

13 Only One Person Has Entered The Fiery Pit And Lived To Tell

In 2013, George Kourounis became the first person to successfully descend to the bottom of the pit and return. For a National Geographic expedition, Kourounis entered the pit and collected soil samples. He recounted the experience to Smithsonian Magazine and noted that flames would appear where he freshly dug into the canyon floor. The professional explorer and photographer needed special equipment to safely enter the canyon. A head-resistant suit and Kevlar climbing harness helped Kourounis to withstand the inferno.

12 There Is Life In The Flames

The National Geographic expedition revealed that some unusual lifeforms were thriving in the inhospitable conditions of the Darvaza crater. These microorganisms are part of a class of living things known as extremophiles because of their ability to flourish in extreme environments. Scientists found that these organisms were so well adapted to life in the crater that they actually flourish in high temperatures and low-nutrient conditions, unlike most life on earth which generally favors temperate and nurturing ecosystems.

11 The Gates Of Hell Crater Is One Of The Hottest Places On Earth

It’s not surprising that the Darvaza crater is extremely hot. But it is far hotter than almost anything else in nature. For example, the continuously burning fires make this pit about six times hotter than the hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth: a sweltering 134 degrees Fahrenheit at Death Valley, California. At 752 degrees, the Gates of Hell dwarfs the Death Valley record several times over. This extreme heat has made learning about the interior of the crater incredibly difficult. It took 40 years before anyone managed to enter the canyon and survive.

Related: The Most Extreme Weather On Earth Happens In These Locations

10 At Night, Spiders Sacrifice Themselves In The Flames

As if a place called the Gates of Hell couldn’t get any creepier, firsthand accounts of travelers mention hoards of spiders being drawn to the heat of the crater - and their own demise - at night. One scientific explanation is simply that spiders are drawn to the glow of the flames in an otherwise dark desert landscape. However, the disturbing image of spiders creeping through the sand toward a hellish pit and offering themselves en masse to the fire is certainly one of the reasons the Darvaza Gas Crater has earned its sinister reputation.

9 One Of The Strangest Campsites On Earth

Visitors to the Gates of Hell canyon are accommodated in tents and sleep around the crater’s upwind edge, lulled by the crackling orange glow from deep inside. Because of scorching winds blowing off the canyon, visitors can only stay on more habitable parts of the crater rim. Traveler accounts mention that desert temperatures drop when the sun goes down, and staying warm becomes the main focus overnight. These harsh conditions and the otherworldly setting make Darvaza Gas Crater one of the most unique campsites ever.

8 There’s Nothing Much To Do At This Tourism Site

Without a doubt, the Darvaza Gas Crater is a truly special place on Earth. However, visitors may be surprised by how few tourists go there each year. There are no tourist amenities around the crater, just miles of barren sand. The reason for this is the country’s staunch isolation. Turkmenistan has been ranked as the second-most isolated country in the world, topped only by secretive North Korea. Foreign tourists are only allowed to leave the capital city of Ashgabat with a registered tour guide. Given its reputation and the difficulty of entering the country, Turkmenistan only receives about 10,000 tourists per year.

Related: Abandoned Highways: Are These The New Extreme Tourism Spots?

7 A Deadly Gas Is Fueling The Flames Inside The Crater

When the pit first collapsed during an operation to identify fossil fuels several decades ago, there was no fire burning. It was simply an industrial accident. Researchers quickly discovered, however, that methane gas was escaping from the newly opened crater. Engineers attempted to burn off the escaping gas with a small fire expected to last only a few days. However, unknown to the team at the crater, this particular site is connected to a large reserve of methane gas, the major component of natural gas.

6 Hell May Be A Gold Mine

Well, not literally. But economically, the Darvaza Gas Crater may hold tremendous potential. Scientists speculate that beneath the crater is a massive reserve of methane that can be extracted for natural gas production. That’s not a far-fetched assumption in Turkmenistan’s sprawling Karakum desert. The country is home to the Earth’s 6th largest natural gas reserve and the second largest single natural gas field. It is not clear just how much methane is below, but there is so much of this gas escaping that the crater has been burning unmitigated for half a century.

5 A Nuke Might Be The Only Way To Close The Gates Of Hell

Scientists have sought ways to snuff the flames. Filling the crater with soil wouldn’t stop methane from escaping, but a powerful blast just might. An underground explosion would suck out the oxygen that feeds the fire and collapse the openings where methane is welling up from deep inside the earth. In the 1960s, a gas well in Uzbekistan burned for three years, and Soviet engineers extinguished it with a nuclear bomb blast. However, nukes release lots of radiation that could have unfathomable long-term effects. So, while it’s unlikely a nuke will be used, it’s certain that any effort to extinguish the Gates of Hell will be a Herculean task.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About The Extreme Alpine Pamir Highway In Tajikistan

4 Turkmenistan Is Trying To Extinguish It Again

After failed attempts over the last 50 years, in Turkmenistan said in 2022 that it is planning once again to extinguish the flames. As of May 2023, it is unclear if there has been any progress on that effort or if it has failed once again. So while the Gates of Hell may have been burning for over half a century, may not have much more time left. One gas flame that does go out is the Eternal Flame at a waterfall in New York.

3 They Were Started By Another Country

When the Gates of Hell ignited is a matter of debate. Some geologists claim the crater collapsed in the 1960s and was set on fire by the 1980s. Others point to the 1970s. Whenever the collapse happened, it must have happened during the Soviet Union and before Turkmenistan became an independent country.

2 The Gates Of Hell Has Multiple Names

The Gates of Hell is one name in English - but it is neither the only name in English nor the official name of the site. It is also known as the Darvaza gas crater (or Garagum yalkymy in Turkmen). It is also called the Door to Hell in English. But its official name is the Shining of Karakum.

1 There Are Other Burning Fires As Well

The Gates of Hell is not unique, there are other long-running fires around the world. One of the most famous in the United States is the Centralia mine fire - a coal seam fire. It has been burning in Pennsylvania since at least 1962 and its cause is also a matter of debate. Who knows how long the Gates of Hell will continue to burn? But in the case of Centralia, it is expected to burn for another 250 years.